TAMPA, Florida | FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe said Tuesday that the success of the Tea Party has the media in a bit of a panic.

Speaking with NewsBusters at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Kibbe also said press attacks on the Tea Party will probably end “the day after the election” (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

As readers are aware, the media initially ignored the Tea Party and then attacked it once it began sweeping the nation. During an impromptu interview, Kibbe was asked what the press’s perception of the movement is now.

“They’re in a bit of a panic,” Kibbe replied. “After the Ted Cruz victory, they went from saying, ‘Oh, they’re gone, they’re gone. They don’t matter’ to ‘Oh my God, they’re taking over the Senate.”

“So I think it’s going to be all attack all the time between now and the election,” he continued, “because they’re nervous, they’re afraid, they know that we’re making a difference, and that’s politics. This is hardball to quote Chris Matthews, and they’re going to call us everything. But I think the men and women of the Tea Party have demonstrated an ability to keep their heads down, focus on the work, and get the job done.”

Kibbe was asked if there will ever be a point when the media actually show respect to the Tea Party.

“I think there’s grudging respect now,” he said. “I think the name-calling probably stops the day after the election because what they’re trying to do is they’re trying to change the subject. They don’t want to talk about $16 trillion in debt, so they’re going to accuse us of all sorts of things, and that’s just the way it is.”